"Native speaker" True to the name or a misconception?

There are so many misconceptions around these two words.
Many people understand their second language better than their own.
They are more careful, more accurate and they pay more attention when they use their other languages.

What would you choose for your purposes?

1. A 19-33 year old average native speaker
2. Someone who has had the interest to learn since an early age. Someone who has read more, someone who has fostered and nurtured his or her language willfully to go beyond average.

Think about it. What is more important?
Actual skills and knowledge or being a "native speaker"?

Would I doubt a Spanish native claiming to be as fluent in Portuguese as he or she is in Spanish? No. Note how I chose not to write "...as she or he is in his or her own language." The right to call a language your own does not depend on others.
Is it possible for someone from the EU to know Chinese better than a native? YES!! (I am not talking about myself here. I don't speak Chinese)

Schools, private students and people using forums such as this have to restore their beliefs in the capacity of the individual rather than clinging to the plastic-wrapped misunderstood concept described with the words "Native speaker".SmithElementary.jpg

What does being a native speaker entail? What are the discrepancies between the preconceptions of what a native speaker is and what he or she really is?
What can a non-native speaker offer that a native speaker cannot?
What things can a native speaker offer that a non-native speaker cannot?
Are we too lazy to find talented people among non-native speakers and do we choose what we think we know too readily?

Re: "Native speaker" True to the name or a misconception?

If I were aiming at learning a language, I would definitely choose the 19-33 years old natives category.( A native speaker is the master and commander of his mother tongue). They are young, so up to date (good for me). No stress, zero weirdness. Besides, they use Slang the crux, the heart, the essence of any language. Now that might chock, I know. A lot consider Slang as the language killer. This is not how I see things.
Let me put it that way, I’m a witch (a kind one) I’m going to gift you with fluency and a total master of Academic English, would you call yourself a native speaker then? Now, let’s imagine that with all your language powers, you find yourself in one of CT streets, and you meet somebody that will tell you: “hey dude! You’re gonna adopt a tree !” what will you do then? How will English serve you ? I f you do not understand natives, if you do not talk like them, you are not a native.
Let’s Take Merriam Webster Dictionary. Do you have any idea how editors add new words in a dictionary? well in different ways, one of them is to go down the streets and spot a word( yeah word + street = slang ) in its environment then add it to their entries ( as explained in this footages).

Another factor to reach the level of a native speaker is the accent. Let’s say that the witch is back gifting you this time with Slang + idioms + academic English and the “whole package” , then because you’re let’s say Algerian Berber like myself and you answer natives, you’ll be immediately spotted.

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